303030 Challenge

In October 2014 I challenged myself to do 30 illustrations over 30 days, and each having a time limit of 30 minutes. Included here are the illustrations that turned out the best.

Challenges:

Time: The time restraint was the biggest challenge. I started off sketching my ideas first, but then found that I didn’t have enough time to finish the final rendering within 30 minutes. A few days in, I abandoned the sketches and went straight to adobe Illustrator. I believe sketching is an important part of the design process, so my time restraint was more of a hindrance than helpful challenge.

Consistency: I had never committed to do a 30 day challenge like that before, and it was sometimes difficult to complete each day’s illustration because of travel and other commitments. However, the things that “got in the way” (i.e. a trip to San Antonio) actually inspired that day’s illustrations, as seen in The Alamo, potted plant, and luchador mask.

Results:

I learned that I was capable of doing an illustration every day for 30 days. I am capable of committing to something and completing it.

I had not done digital illustration prior to this challenge, and it was a great way to experiment with the tools and find my personal illustration style.

I became more efficient at using Illustrator. 30 minutes goes by quickly, and I had to learn the software better to use my time efficiently.

Overall, this challenge helped me commit, follow through, and learn more about my tools, but at the time, 30 minutes was too short for a really great digital illustration.